More Able and Talented Vocational Learner Case Studies

MORE ABLE AND TALENTED VOCATIONAL LEARNER CASE STUDIES

CONTENTS

Case study: Creative Industries for MAT learners at The College Merthyr Tydfil 2

Case study: Fashion at Coleg Sir Gâr – Ciaran 3

Case study: Graphic design at Coleg Cambria – Darcy 4

Case Study: Cybersecurity at Cardiff and Vale College – Mateusz 5

Case Study: Children’s Care, Learning & Development at Coleg y Cymoedd – Shayleigh 6

Case Study: Electronic engineering at Gower College Swansea – Jamie 8

Case Study: Applied Science at Coleg Gwent – Owen 9

Case Study: Business with Law at NPTC Group of Colleges – Learner D 10

Case study: Sport at NPTC Group of Colleges – Learner K 11

Case study: Sport at Coleg Cambria – Emily 12

Case study: Plastering at NPTC Group of Colleges – Learner L 13

Case study: Engineering at Pembrokeshire College – Jack 15

Case study: Animal Management Bridgend College – Rebecca 17

2 CASE STUDY: CREATIVE INDUSTRIES FOR MAT LEARNERS AT THE COLLEGE MERTHYR TYDFIL

Within Creative Industries, The College Merthyr Tydfil provides the opportunity to undertake the Gold Arts Award. This is delivered in association with Trinity College London and the University of South Wales which fully funds the award on the learner’s behalf, including voluntary residential elements. The award runs over the course of a year and is completed in 180 hours. The Gold Arts Award is a Level 3 qualification in itself and is worth 16 UCAS points. Through two units of learning, learners are invited to personally develop and document their own creative practice in art, dance, drama, media, music, performing art and/or photography. Unit one extends the learner’s creative practice. Unit two develops leadership and independence within their creative practice ending in an event, organised, marketed and run by the learners, which showcases their practice. This can be undertaken individually or as a group. Learners are guided through the award by the Creative Industries MAT liaison officer within the college, meeting as a group on a weekly basis to discuss ideas and progress. Tutors identify and nominate MAT learners for the award. They will be learners studying Creative Industries subjects at AS or first year BTEC levels. MAT learners will be those who are not necessarily high achievers in examinations, but naturally show high creative ability, dedication and drive within their chosen discipline/s. They can cope well with the additional work and might otherwise lack the opportunity to further develop skills, practice, creativity and industry networks. Throughout the award, learners must create a portfolio that documents all that they do. This documentation can be in any format, for example, written accounts, photo- or video-diary or a mix of media. This diversity empowers those learners who may be highly able in the arts but have additional learning needs such as dyslexia. They can therefore evidence progress, plans, activities and reflection in non-written ways as long as they ensure they are evaluative, critical and in-depth. 2019 will be the first year that the award is run within the college and fifteen MAT learners have been identified across the Creative Industries disciplines, thirteen of whom have accepted the opportunity. They started working towards the award in January 2019. The overall aim is to locate and guide the most creative learners to fully develop their talent and identify the opportunities that will enable them to excel in their current and future studies and their chosen careers.

3 CASE STUDY: FASHION AT COLEG SIR GÂR – CIARAN

Ciaran was not an obvious MAT learner based on his prior attainment; he did however have a passion for the subject and a clear vision of his future intentions from the start. He had excellent attendance and work ethic, frequently staying on to use the degree facilities at the college’s Jobs Well campus to extend his practical work. He was a frequent attender of the Visiting Lecturer Programme, developing his ability to think laterally and critically analyse subjects from different perspectives and effectively relating theory to practice. He was not afraid to go beyond the subject area and made good use of all the resources across the campus – all departments, ot just fashion – at all times. He demonstrated a unique response to his final major project, which reflected his proactive approach to challenges and opportunities. Ciaran particularly stood out within his learner group due to his methodology of endorsing drawing - not only to develop ideas for fashion design but he often used his excellent drawing skills to develop print designs for fashion fabrics. This work demonstrated a level of sophistication and complexity to his designs and he would often call upon his interests in social and political culture to create his conceptual fashion ideas. To do this, Ciaran engaged with and was inspired by the Foundation Art & Design lecturers who actively promoted the discussion and exploration of current issues around Equality and Diversity and socially engaged practices. Prior to Foundation, Ciaran was fearful of industrial kit and openly admitted that using machinery was something that he avoided in previous studies. He was tutored to develop the pattern cutting skills to realise his fashion illustrations and given an induction in the industrial machinery. At times, his curiosity led him to try out new ways of using the machines, exposing seams to demonstrate the potential of the stitches as design features. Once he embraced the facilities and techniques at Carmarthen School of Art at Coleg Sir Gâr, he truly excelled which enabled him to create exciting, resolved garments.

4 CASE STUDY: GRAPHIC DESIGN AT COLEG CAMBRIA – DARCY

Darcy is a prime example of a MAT learner, demonstrating resilience and perseverance. She possesses a passion for the arts, be it dramatic or visual. Through determination, diligence, and encouragement, Darcy represented Coleg Cambria as a MAT learner and placed Bronze in the Advanced Graphic Design Competition for Skills Wales in December 2018. Her MAT potential came to the forefront during her AS year at the college. Darcy found ease in combining multiple art disciplines in her projects, thus adding scope and depth to her work. In 2017, Darcy competed in the Advanced Graphic Design Competition for Skills Wales, however she did not place. Instead of being discouraged, she was determined to come back even stronger to compete the next year. Darcy upped her game and developed her graphic skills even further through her A-level classes at the college. She achieved her goal, medalling at the 2018 competition, which was an inspiration to all learners and staff at Coleg Cambria, as well as to the other competitors, and the Skills Wales judging team. Her self-determination and creative drive are what make Darcy stand out as a MAT learner. In addition, Darcy’s skill of reflection and critical analysis of her artwork is a key attribute in her standing as an art MAT learner. She takes on board ideas and suggestions, whilst always adding individuality and style to her work. This is particularly evident when Darcy works on graphic design briefs. She is able to adhere to client demands, yet at the same time create something unique and intriguing. Darcy utilised the facilities at the college to expand her knowledge in graphic design, and digital imagery work. She pursued her love of Art and Drama to add an additional creative edge to her designs. Her artwork comprises a medley of creative skills and technology, as Darcy made great use of the photography darkroom, textile facilities, and the Regional Print Centre at Coleg Cambria. She exhibits a distinctive response to project work, focusing on individual perspectives in Art and Design. Darcy draws upon her theoretical research skills for inspiration, as well as her travels abroad, and emerging technologies. She engages with her A-level lecturers to facilitate more in-depth and sophisticated outcomes by selecting appropriate resources, media and processes. Darcy has a particular strength in independently concentrating on reasoning and critical reflection for her projects. Staff worked one-on-one with Darcy leading up to the Skills Wales Graphic Design competition. She was given mini timed briefs to test her ability to work under pressure and to refine her work. Darcy was also assigned specific artists and designers to research, as well as her own independent artists to develop her ideas and design concepts.

5 CASE STUDY: CYBERSECURITY AT CARDIFF AND VALE COLLEGE – MATEUSZ

During his time as a learner at Cardiff and Vale College, Mateusz excelled in his studies, demonstrating early on an ability to think laterally. His curiosity and technical background provided him with a platform that he built upon, consistently achieving high grades across the board during his Level 2 and 3 studies. He proved that he is capable of moving seamlessly between working as part of a group and working alone. Mateusz demonstrates a real talent for this area. During his first year as a Level 3 learner, Mateusz demonstrated a unique response to work which he completed for a live brief for Bae Coffi, which reflected his pro-active approach to challenges and opportunities. Mateusz particularly stood out due to his methodology, creating a unique website and winning first prize for this particular competition. In the second year of his Level 3 studies, he completed a Networking project using a variety of hardware as well using Virtualisation and Simulation software. He also completed PC and printer repairs in the specialised Lab. Mateusz’s workshop and research skills proved to be very strong, fully reflecting the high standard of his skills. He is always keen to challenge himself in activities, in turn translating these into a very strong body of work. During his two years as a Level 3 learner, Mateusz trained for and took part in the Worldskills (Wales) final and UK heats competitions in the Website Development, followed by the Cybersecurity competitions, where he won a number of awards for both skills. He has since been invited by Worldskills UK to join the Squad for Cybersecurity, with the aim of the opportunity of taking part in the World finals in Kazan, Russia during 2019. Mateusz is keen to follow a future career in Cybersecurity and is very grateful for the opportunities that he was given during his studies at Cardiff and Vale College. He is now continuing with his training during his free time, and taking time out from work to come in to Cardiff and Vale College to receive extra training. He has recently signed up for the Microsoft Technology Associate qualifications at Cardiff and Vale College.

6 CASE STUDY: CHILDREN’S CARE, LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT AT COLEG Y CYMOEDD – SHAYLEIGH

Shayleigh is a second year Level 3 Childcare learner who joined the course having already achieved excellent GCSE / A-level grades. Her work has always been of an excellent standard, as were her practical skills in her placement. Her placement supervisors recognised her as someone who has outstanding ability to plan activities to meet the requirements of the Foundation Phase curriculum and support children’s individual needs. In order to extend her academic work Shayleigh has always wanted to go “that extra mile” and research deeper into topics which interest her. Shayleigh articulated herself well, both within a group and individually. She also displayed a great sense of humour and fun and didn’t let any negativity affect her mood. Shayleigh has the ability to debate and explore other points of view but would also confidently question some expectations of her in regard to aspects of the course, although she was not rude or discourteous towards staff. Shayleigh could, however, show some frustration when doing tasks that she felt were not central to the assignment. She was also effective in relation to problem solving, making connections between points and ideas – this was evident in her application of theory to her own practice from her childcare placements. She particularly enjoyed the psychology aspect of the course and due to her previous achievement of A-level Law found legislation relatively easy to understand. In recognition of this, her course tutor explored additional opportunities to extend Shayleigh’s learning to keep her motivated and to stretch and challenge her. These opportunities included introducing her to “Open Learn” – free learning opportunities from the Open University. Shayleigh enrolled on a number of courses that are proven to increase confidence and develop skills to enter higher education. Shayleigh and her course tutor discussed the most appropriate and challenging courses that would satisfy her interest, in addition to those which would be beneficial for her current and future education. Shayleigh completed a number of these alongside her course, achieving a number of Open University Digital badges and certificates. Shayleigh found these very interesting and has used the new found information in her work. The Open University courses also challenged her to look at other topics that she previously may not have considered.

7 Shayleigh had previously achieved a mentoring certificate in school and had always shown an interest in this, becoming class representative. Her course tutor recognised Shayleigh’s mentoring as a particular strength so, when asked to plan and deliver a taster session for some disengaged learners, to introduce them to the course, she immediately thought of Shayleigh. Following discussion, Shayleigh encouraged some other learners in the class to deliver this session. Although their tutor was on hand to support them, under the direction of Shayleigh, these learners took control of the two-hour session. It was a great success. The relaxed manner Shayleigh used was engaging and broke down any barriers to education that the learners had. She was able to communicate the differences between college and school in a positive way with humour, so as well as being very informative, the session was also sensitive to the learners’ needs and abilities.

8 CASE STUDY: ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING AT GOWER COLLEGE SWANSEA – JAMIE

The Electronic engineering department at Gower College Swansea works with its cohort of learners looking to provide stretch and challenge for all. However, the learners who are more gifted in the discipline of electronics, normally those who have completed GCSE electronics prior to coming to GCS and with an A-C GCSE profile, are placed in the Enhanced Engineering Programme group. An example of such a learner is Jamie who has recently won a Gold medal in Industrial electronics at the World Skills national final. Jamie joined the college in 2017 from a Welsh medium school. It was evident from early interactions with Jamie that he had strong technical ability, especially when undertaking practical tasks and in particular, the speed at which he understood and completed the tasks. The teaching team also noticed that he was naturally peer-to-peer teaching his classmates. What became clear for Jamie was that his attitude and mind-set did not match his technical ability. The team worked with Jamie to help him become the best version of himself. This involved an extended work experience programme, one-to-one tutorials and an overseas trip to Stuttgart for three weeks working with Bosch apprentices. It was during this trip that the team identified the huge improvement in Jamie’s attitude and commitment. Jamie gave a full presentation at the end of the trip with some of his colleagues to the German audience in Welsh, English and German. Upon return to college Jamie is now a champion for electronic engineering, visiting schools and giving presentations on his journey within the electronic engineering discipline.

9 CASE STUDY: APPLIED SCIENCE AT COLEG GWENT – OWEN

Owen did not initially achieve the grades he needed in GCSE Science as he had missed a significant amount of school due to a health-limiting condition. He also faced the additional challenge of dyslexia. He applied to Coleg Gwent to pursue Level 3 BTEC Applied Science and, although he did not have the requisite grades, his tutors recognised his unique circumstances, got a taste of his drive and ambition to become a vet and admitted him to the course. His lecturers soon identified his talent for problem solving and overcoming obstacles: a critical factor in signposting his more able and talented capabilities. Owen had recognised the obstacles to becoming a vet and – with the support of parents and staff at the college – developed strategies for surmounting them. The close working of the tripartite relationship (parents, college and learner) was critical in allowing Owen’s talents to flourish. Owen faced two particular challenges: he needed to achieve GCSEs that were missing from his portfolio of grades and he also needed to manage his dyslexia. The college was able to play a pivotal role with the GCSEs and developed a timetable and access arrangements that allowed Owen to be highly successful in his GCSEs, whilst maintaining his full-time vocational course. He developed strategies for overcoming his dyslexia with his tutors who also worked closely with Owen’s parents to support his efforts by proof reading work and checking early drafts of assignments. Owen achieved Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction* in his BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Applied Science and was accepted to study Veterinary Science at the Royal Veterinary College. His tutors responded to his voracious appetite for science by recommending and sourcing further reading. Additional tutorial time was given to Owen which allowed him the opportunity to talk through aspects of science that transcended the normal curriculum specification. This was beneficial to his assignments but also allowed him to distinguish himself when applying to highly competitive universities. In addition to his academic studies, Owen undertook extensive voluntary work, work experience at a vet and other short placements with the APHA and RSPCA to enhance his knowledge and understanding of the field. Owen went on to win Pearson Science Learner of the year and Outstanding Learner of the Year.

10 CASE STUDY: BUSINESS WITH LAW AT NPTC GROUP OF COLLEGES – LEARNER D

When Learner D joined the Level 3 Business and Law programme at NPTC Group of Colleges, he was unsure which course he wanted to pursue and indeed, despite appearing to be outgoing, he actually lacked confidence and especially direction in life. He did however possess one key attribute – energy. The tutors quickly recognised this and once they channelled his energy into one direction, he quickly learnt and started to believe in himself. He made excellent progress in his Level 3 studies, also undertaking GCSE Maths and English which he achieved with success. He would describe himself as not the most gifted academically but possessed great enthusiasm, drive and an entrepreneurial spirit. These qualities were all recognised and employed successfully, not only with his studies at college but in the start-up of his small business selling quail eggs. Learner D’s college tutors recognised this ability and they actively encouraged and supported his entry for the Big Ideas Wales competition, he sailed through the regional heat and this led to him being awarded the most aspiring Entrepreneur Award at the Big Ideas Wales competition finals in Cardiff. He soon played a large part in the classroom, enthusing his fellow learners, challenging lecturers with his entrepreneurial knowledge and activities and engaging all that came into contact with him. Learner D became a learner ambassador as part of the NPTC Ambassadorship Programme as he had excellent customer service skills. These were developed not only as a key part of the Business course but also helped by the extra-curricular activities within the college curriculum, with activities such as enterprise week. Learner D has now progressed successfully from Level 3 onto the second year of a degree programme and will no doubt gain another excellent qualification. The tutors have encouraged and supported him in starting his business alongside his studies and allowed his entrepreneurial spirt to flourish. This is an excellent example of how vocational qualifications can help focus learners to not only enjoy their studies but also progress and grow their characters. Learner D has also grown in confidence to be president of the NPTC group Learner Union, which was actively encouraged by the Business programme team.

11 CASE STUDY: SPORT AT NPTC GROUP OF COLLEGES – LEARNER K

Learner K enrolled at NPTC Group of Colleges to study A-levels after receiving an excellent set of GCSE grades. After completing a year of AS levels, she realised that her passion for coaching and sport would be best suited to a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport. After speaking to staff at the college’s Llandarcy Academy of Sport, Learner K could see the potential that this vocational route would provide, along with increased opportunities for working with employers and developing skills such as leadership, coaching and personal qualities to enhance her ambition and drive in her future sport- related career. Although Learner K transferred courses, college staff believed she was more than able to continue to study the second year of her A-level in PE alongside her vocational course. The college staff were able to support her through the challenges and adapted the timetable around her A-level grid. Through her sheer determination, grit and hard work, Learner K coped and excelled in both subjects with staff monitoring both qualifications. During her time at Llandarcy, being a confident individual, she immediately responded to coaching opportunities and engaged in working enthusiastically with the Health and Wellbeing officer, taking every opportunity to volunteer. Staff supported her and gave her valuable experience in the sports industry by working with schools, clubs and outside agencies. All the roles Learner K took part in exemplified her passion for sport and were met with gusto and commitment whether it was as a class representative, working with the Centerprise team or organising the Aberavon Schools netball tournament. (Centerprise is the NPTC Group of Colleges’ incubation hub, providing accommodation and enterprise support to learner start-up businesses). She was identified as an excellent ambassador for Sport by the staff who recognised her hard work and rising talents. She was given a Gold Young Ambassador role within the college. Many staff supported her to develop her vocational skills in this role and helped her manage her many roles alongside her studies. Learner K’s commitment to her studies never faltered and academically she was still able to produce the highest grades in her assignments through her sheer determination and excellent organisational skills. She ensured her coaching commitments did not distract from her main studies where she completed her extended Diploma in Sport (Development, Coaching and Fitness) and gained a Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction* profile. Furthermore, Learner K completed many additional qualifications throughout her studies that were offered through a vocational route such as rugby leaders, CYQ Level 2 Gym Instructors award, HSLA Level 3, Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh awards and also her umpiring award in Netball.

12 CASE STUDY: SPORT AT COLEG CAMBRIA – EMILY

Emily is a shining star of Wales’ netball success. She is also an excellent example of a More Able and Talented (MAT) BTEC Level 3 Sports learner at Coleg Cambria. Having attended trials in Cardiff, Emily will be representing the Welsh Colleges Squad on the national stage in 2019. Alongside her studies, Emily has played high level netball for Manchester Thunder; she has also recently secured a place on the AoC National Squad. With a perfect attendance record and aiming for good grades, Emily is a bright learner, and pushes herself to achieve. In addition, she supports her other team members, helping them grasp tasks and assignments. Emily stands out specifically as a MAT learner in Sport through her ability to coach and lead others. She has recently excelled at delivering physical activity sessions for health improvement to other learners as part of her Welsh Baccalaureate. She also coaches netball in her local community. Although diagnosed with dyslexia, Emily doesn’t let this hold her back. Key to Emily’s MAT success is her extraordinary self-motivation and self- discipline. Her training schedule might seem gruelling to some, but Emily takes it in her stride, as she is focused on her goals. Emily travels long distances to excel within sport, playing for college representative teams, Wales, and even her club side Manchester Thunder. Also, her motivation is clear through the time she puts into coaching. It is impressive that she manages all of this without her studies being detrimentally affected. Emily is a critical thinker with exceptional sporting ability. She is a highlighted MAT learner at Coleg Cambria because she is committed to her studies, her talent, her ambitions, and to helping others develop their skills. Some may say that MAT learners have a different mindset. This is definitely the case with Emily, as she is continuously inspired, motivated, and enthusiastic. Emily also credits her success to the advocacy and engagement of her tutors and coaches. The support system for learners enables Emily to pursue her goals and aspirations. Emily is actively reassured to develop her skills and talents. Staff are flexible with Emily's finishing times on occasions in order to allow her to pursue her dreams and attend trials and tournaments. They also help her catch up on any missed work, as staff really value learners thriving within the department. Emily’s tutors and coaches equip Emily with constructive feedback, and encourage learners to review and reflect in order to gain even more knowledge and to heighten their skills. Emily is flourishing as a holistic MAT learner, one who is motivated and willing to share her netball and sports knowledge and skills with others.

13 CASE STUDY: PLASTERING AT NPTC GROUP OF COLLEGES – LEARNER L

Learner L enrolled on a Level 1 Plastering course at NPTC Group of Colleges in September 2015. This was not a normal enrolment due to the fact she was six months pregnant at the time. Learner L was unable to participate fully in practical sessions due to health and safety issues. She still attended every session in the workshop, just to watch the tutor’s demonstrations and make notes ready for when she would be physically able to participate. The tutors supported her in this idea as it showed commitment and an initiative to learn. She had her baby and was absent from college for six weeks in total. During this time, she was in constant contact with her lecturer via email and the lecturer would send details of work which was to be completed each week via online tools such as Moodle, Socrative and City and Guilds Learning Assistant. Such was her commitment and dedication that she quickly progressed within her full-time studies to gain a Distinction at Level 1. Although she did very well there were issues for Learner L to overcome, childcare, for example, would prove to be problematic at certain times. Staff would accommodate her into college at times when she was not timetabled but could arrange childcare for her young baby. It was sometimes an hour here or an hour there, but it all helped Learner L to achieve a Distinction. Learner L was also what staff used to call a read/write style learner, in that she had to make notes to make anything stick (her words). At Level 1 the lecturer usually handed notes out to the class but as he got to know how she liked to learn he wouldn’t issue her with notes, allowing her to make her own, which he would check with her to make sure they were accurate before she typed them up. Learner L was offered a position on the Award winning Cyfle Shared Apprenticeship Scheme as a plastering apprentice. She excelled throughout her apprenticeship and represented the college in several skills competitions where she gained first place at regional level. What made Learner L stand out as a MAT learner was firstly her ability to take on board instruction and complete tasks with minimal training from her tutors in the workshop environment. She also had a natural affinity with the more complex plastering tasks such as plaster boarding ceilings and skimming them, curved walls and plumb and dot, to name a few, and fibrous plastering (coving, ceiling roses, dado rails, picture rails). Learner L was also very inquisitive about the methods of plastering, always asking why we had to do things as instructed. Having gained a Distinction in her Level 2 plastering qualification, she then decided that a future in construction management was the way forward for her.

Learner L has progressed from a construction management course onto a Civil Engineering BTEC Level 3 course which she hopes to complete by June 2019. She has shown that there are many options available for women in construction and how hard work and dedication can pay off. She is a credit to herself, her family and the college.

15 CASE STUDY: ENGINEERING AT PEMBROKESHIRE COLLEGE – JACK

Jack joined the College with very little idea of what he wanted to do. He had an interest in engineering but didn’t really know where this could lead him. With a good set of GCSE grades, following interview, Jack was offered a place on the intensive Level 3 Enhanced Engineering programme. Despite having to deal with difficult circumstances in his home life, Jack fully embraced the opportunities presented to him through his course. Jack did double the number of required hours of work experience including time at United Aerospace where he learnt about pre-impregnated laminating techniques – the future of carbon fibre technology. From here, Jack undertook a placement with Merlin Auto Services in their MOT garage. Jack’s choice of employers showed his understanding that academic and vocational skills are of equal importance for future careers. Achieving Distinction*, Distinction* grades in his first year, Jack achieved Distinction grades in all modules and is on course for a final year mark of Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction* (the equivalent of three A* grades at A-level). As Jack progressed through his course, tutors encouraged him to get involved in extra-curricular activities which saw him working with primary and secondary schools as part of a Reaching Wider project to raise awareness and interest in STEM careers, as well as taking part in events such as the Tackling Gender Inequality Day where Jack led groups in STEM activities. Jack also gave up his holidays to undertake extra work experience placements. From initially being unsure of his future path, Jack has transformed into a confident, focused and proactive learner. Attending all talks from external employers and organisations, Jack made himself stand apart from his peers by asking intelligent questions and showing a genuine interest in everyone who gave up their time to deliver talks within the college. Jack has performed excellently in practical sessions where he has related the theory behind machining and welding in the classroom. He also has the ability to peer teach in a supported manner within the practical settings to his fellow learners.

Jack has illustrated his forward-thinking abilities with his unique response to his engineering project unit for the second year. Jack has gone through a design process using solid works, using theory and linking to his passion of playing the guitar. Jack is now producing an amplifier attachment for an electric guitar that is solar powered. The amplifier will be attached to a guitar strap in the hope that it will be portable and cheaper due to the materials Jack has selected. This illustrates forward thinking and Jack’s ability to visualise the end goal whilst using academic theory alongside the manual dexterity in producing the component. This willingness to learn, and step outside his comfort zone, has led to Jack making it through to the final selection stages for an Accelerated Apprenticeship with the Royal Navy as an aircraft engineer. As a backup plan, Jack has also been successful in his application to continue his studies at the Chiltern Maritime Academy.

17 CASE STUDY: ANIMAL MANAGEMENT BRIDGEND COLLEGE – REBECCA

Rebecca had previously started A-level study within the school environment, following excellent GCSE results. She decided to leave the sixth form and join the animal management course at Bridgend College in order to pursue her ambition of working within the animal industry. Her aim was to follow interests in conservation work. Rebecca stood out as a potential MAT learner within Animal Care as she had extensive prior experience of engaging with animals. Rebecca had a clear vision of the bigger picture in terms of opportunities within the animal industry - she was able to discuss global animal welfare issues, global conservation issues, and understood political implications. Many land-based learners are interested in hands-on careers. However, MAT learners are those that usually already have an established hands-on knowledge and also have a desire to progress further in order to develop higher level knowledge and skills which will take them in to academic, business, research and developmental roles. Whilst Rebecca did need to further develop her knowledge of the care of animals, her vision was to play a part in future change for the benefit of long-term sustainability of species, and improvements in animal welfare. The personal tutor could clearly see that with excellent grades to date, and a clear aim for her future, that Rebecca was a potential MAT learner. Rebecca also presented with a very mature attitude to her life and work. She is also a fluent Welsh speaker and it was also clear through getting to know Rebecca well that she engaged in many developmental activities outside of college. Rebecca displayed qualities of drive, ambition, maturity, and enthusiasm. In order to identify a MAT learner, it is important that personal tutors know learners well in terms of their prior achievements, their personal qualities, and their future goals. In the case of Rebecca, she was fortunate to have an outstanding personal tutor. Some other learners had excellent prior results, but were not presenting the maturity and drive to accompany it. In these cases of potential MAT learners, the personal tutor felt that it is important to present opportunities to these learners, but that care needs to be taken not to push learners if they are not ready, as this can be detrimental to their mental health. The personal tutor in this case spent additional time outside of timetabled hours in order to fully support the potential of learners.

18 Rebecca was offered and encouraged to take up opportunities for further development across the department and more widely across the college. These included:  Volunteering scheme within land-based department - Rebecca took part in volunteering within the animal unit to further develop her skills.

 Learner representative - Rebecca was encouraged to apply for, and took up, a role as a learner representative.

 Erasmus+ work placement in Denmark - Rebecca was encouraged to apply for, and was selected to travel to Kolding in Denmark to take part in a two-week work placement at Hansenberg College where she worked in the Zoo training unit.

 Welsh/Learner Ambassador - as a Welsh speaker Rebecca was encouraged to, and took up a role as Welsh ambassador.

 Learner Governor - Rebecca was encouraged to apply for the role of learner governor, for which she was selected and took up position in academic year 2017/18. The personal tutor in the case of Rebecca gave additional time for mentoring in order to support and facilitate development and monitor progress. Intellectual and emotional support was important in order to ensure a realistic outcome could be achieved. Rebecca did at points throughout her studies need this additional support as the involvement in additional activities needed careful time management. She needed to understand that it was OK to have to prioritise at time of high workload in order to safeguard her wellbeing.